Non-Photography Day in Japan

13/06/07.

*the Japanese are enchanted by the Photograph, the camera and tripod invades the countryside ritually at the change of the seasons. It is reminiscent of hunting, many khaki clad troops mission to the countryside, stand for maybe hours waiting for that perfect shot to capture all.

http://blog.livedoor.jp/street_photograph/

http://mixi.jp/view_bbs.pl?page=1&comm_id=479983&id=19542238

(Can Conceptual Art ever be successful in Japan?)

Non-Photography Day: I see, I suppose as Conceptual Art. As a 'calendar sculpture', its form is encompassed in a collective (non) action. It is not something that is Material and has no monetary value. As Non-Photography Day has a direct message - like many pieces of conceptual art before it - its message stimulates debate. Why should art stimulate debate? to challenge perceptions, to forward notions of change.....

At the centre of the art's message is an opinion, formed by the author. With Non-Photography Day the opinion is this: in living places through the viewfinder of the camera, we miss out on a special three dimensional experience of life, which the viewfinder or the picture cannot bring to us.

*opinion has been the challenge in Japan

In England, and I imagine many other western nations too, we are accustomed to hearing such forwarded opinions. From our friends in the pub to the newspaper columnist, about issues as wide and varied as Big Brother to whom the next Prime Minister should be. From the serious to the soap opera there is no doubt that as adults in the western world we are all encouraged to form our own opinion of the world around us and also to be open minded enough to challenge it from time to time. We perceive as westerners that we live in a changing world, that nothing will stand still and the future is our own to pioneer if we wish it to be different.

Japan however, as a collective society is a different world in this respect. I am sure that each individual here in Japan, has their own opinion, however opinions are personal possessions and as a social norm such things are not expressed to others. Particularly if ones opinion happens to go against the status quo. Furthermore Directness along with firmness are avoided daily in Japan, with the infamous 'maybe' and slight cock of the head or cross of the arms coming to represent 'no' and a language system which dresses up even the most simple point with at least 10 other unnecessary words.

don't rock the boat kids

Thus, Non-Photography Day has been a hard pill for Japanese society to swallow. It is not dressed up in politeness, it is a simple piece of direct art with an opinion at the centre. The opinion perhaps is not what has been contested, but the format with which it has been presented thus far- challenging ideals public ally in a direct way- has been problematic. Particually as it is not obvious that I am indeed not Japanese, my work is faceless.

I ask the question: If one is not meant to express ones opinion thenhow can art, conceptual art in particular (which doesn't hide under layers of signs and beauty) ever exist in Japan? And if art in its simplest form doesn't exist to enable new opinions to come forward, is Japanese society healthy?

im not sure its healthy

These factors mean that my kind of art here has been an uphill struggle. However despite the underlying 'your being arrogant' ; 'keep your opinion to yourself' ; 'don't speak like that here'  I think that thus far Non-Photography Day has genuinely made a lot of people question their practices and also a percentage agree to put down their cameras on the 17th July.

I wouldn't go as far as to say I would like to change Japan completely **apart from making people rest their camera on the 17th July** as their are genuine good things which can come from living collectively, but more emphasis on the importance of challenging opinions, however seated in History they are, is something that I feel should be opened up, and thus with it, the reception to new ideas from Artists in whatever medium, however directly they chose to say it.

I can leave my door open and no-one steals my mac